Afterglow: Sox-Rangers Gamer IV/DH Gamer II

My wife wanted to finish watching this murder mystery on the Biography Channel, so I was reduced to flipping back and forth during commercials. Sadly, I saw Crisp's single and MLor's out, but missed the Papi HR. I flipped back and the game was over and had no idea who'd won. What a shot by Mr. Clutch himself.

Now, the Sox go for the sweep with David Pauley, fresh off his excellent start vs. the Yankees, given a third chance thanks to the vagaries of New England weather.

I'll be in and out all afternoon, so comment away!

Comments

[Paul SF]

Good Start Department: Pauley just picked Gary Mathhews Jr. off first. Now a lineout, two away.

On that note, I have to get going. I'll leave some intreepid soul with nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon to man the thread. Adios!

[sf rod]

don't know if i can carry this thread by myself. pauley get's in trouble in the first. strands a few but gives up one. time to keep the bats alive and ride this guidy train.

[sf rod]

i didn't see the first game and espn news ain't helping me out with any replays. must have been special though.

[sf rod]

coco with a solid single to get it started. welcome home john wasdin.

[sf rod]

coco caught stealing. on a bad throw none the less.

[sf rod]

papi comes to the plate with a standing O.

[Tom sf]

Hard to believe Way Back Wasdin is still around.

[Tom sf]

Hard to believe Way Back Wasdin is still around.

[sf rod]

papi walks. looking over the box score from the yanks game....it was nice to see a-rod go 0 for 3 and back it up with error in the field. that guy is fun to watch.

[SF]

Wow, could Tito field a worse lineup?

[Tom sf]

Is anyone up in the bullpen? 6hits in 1+ innings looks grim.

[SF]

This lineup has Lowell hitting cleanup, Snow, Cora, Belli, Harris in it. If Manny isn't hurt, there's no reason at all he shouldn't be DHing. And where's Youk?

[SF]

On the other hand, Pauley is throwing BP, so maybe it doesn't matter. It's like Francona was so happy about the first game he just figured he'd give the next one away...

[sf rod]

pauley went from looking so good last start, to feilding balls bare handed today. looks like he broke up a DP there.

[SF]

Yankees fans watching this game have to be thinking: how did they not bomb the crap out of Pauley?

[sf rod]

well SF....i don't think pauley is gonna give the lineup a chance to dissappoint.

[SF]

Ok, Terry. Either pull this guy or pull the guys off the field and forfeit. Seriously - he has nothing, so if you want to try to keep it at 4-0 then yank him immediately.

I just don't get this strategy, this lineup - it's not like this game doesn't count, you can't look at it like a bonus win after the Papi dinger if it happens, which is they way it appears Tito is treating it. Francona is a fucking zombie.

[Nick-YF]

That's how baseball works I guess, but Pauley looks quite hittable.

Speaking of the young Pauley, there's a theory that Theo is showcasing him to package him in a deal for pitching help. It's hard to believe that the Sox think this guy is a viable 4th or 5th starting option.

[SF]

Amazing. Now it's 5-0. The Papi walkoff glosses over some of Tito's screwups in Game 1, but there's no hiding this one.

[sf rod]

it's a merry-go-round on the basepaths today. might be ducking out early if this keeps up.

[josh-sf]

Well, Remy has it right ... this game is already over, and the point is for Pauley to get some innings under his belt to save the bullpen for another day ...

[Nick-YF]

It seems that the AL West stuck it to the AL East this weekend.

[SF]

The problem I have is that it's like Francona didn't care if they won this game: their lineup is pretty much a Triple-A squad from #6 down, including the pitcher. If you fall behind quick, then you sit guys down - but why field such a horrible team with the momentum you have? You don't think Pauley looks at the scorecard and thinks "I have to be perfect today"? Not a great way to set up the kid's day, putting a bunch of offensive zeroes behind him. Francona makes me angry way too often.

[SF]

How so, Nick? The Sox, at worst, come out with a split in this series?

They certainly stuck it to the Yankees, though.

[sf rod]

trot has been jammed and fouled out to third at least 4 times in the series. he's swinging the bat well right now, but i think that's led to being less than savy in pitch selection.

[Nick-YF]

SF, wishful memories. For some reason I thought the Sox had lost on Friday. It's been a bad weekend.

[sf rod]

good AB by belli but we don't really need good AB's today. Nick- what was the deal in your series this weekend? timely hitting/starters/bullpen?

[SF]

Wasdin could IBB the top 5 in the lineup, scoring a run for the Sox, just to get to the bottom of the lineup. My guess is the Sox would probably still lose, like 12-7 or something.

[Nick-YF]

sf rod, everything, they were bad in every part of the game. The fielding and pitching was weak, and the hitting was pretty anemic.

[SF]

Yay, Pauley!

(scoreless inning)

[sf rod]

in my beer league a team had this meathead who would crush everything. if you IBB, in this league, the guy automatically got third. so we used to roll pitches to this guy. not even bounce em' cause he'd hit those too.

[SF]

Ok, guys. It's John WASDIN on the mound. Repeat: Wasdin. Now proceed to get hits.

[SF]

It's never good to hear Don Orsillo say "Willie Harris to lead off this inning".

[SF]

Willie Harris started BOTH games of the doubleheader. And Beth asks why I question Francona sometimes...

Where is Manny?

[SF]

With his PSP in the clubhouse. Or back at the Ritz.

[sf rod]

you can rest easy SF, we go interleague after the twins series. that's were terry's prowess for hardball hardheadedness will really pay off.

[SF]

We're being shut out by John Wasdin. Normally I'd give the pitcher some credit, but I have a feeling Al Nipper could come into the game and shut down at least half the Boston order.

[SF]

The only way the Sox are going to win this game is with three three-run homers. Or three multi-run homers of various sizes.

[yankeemonkey]

1. How did Yankees not slap this Pauley kid around for 10+, I don't know.

2. That being said, he looks like he's about 12 in his Gameday photo, so I can't help but root for the kid somewhat. What's wrong with me?!

[sf rod]

it'd be nice to have manny hitting here.

[SF]

I wonder: was this Francona's planned lineup no matter what happened in Game 1? Or did he change it once they won? Because it's bad either way. Either he planned on sending these guys out endangering a sweep, or he treated the first game as a gift and figures he's playing with house money in Game 2. Both scenarios don't make him look any good.

[sf rod]

i guess you rooted for fossum and bronson too. they both still look 14.

[sf rod]

they talked about this lineup early on in last nites game. i kinda planned on not watching this one. but the first one got me going.

[yankeemonkey]

Not really. Pauley seems like a decent kid, I guess. Uncorrupted by the evil team he plays for, as of yet :-D

[sf rod]

at least they're hitting pauley hard...i would've hated to see him give up a bunch of bleeders.

[sf rod]

sooth. remy.

[sf rod]

did anyone count cutain calls in ny this weekend? there had to be a couple. andy phillips got his 35 major league hit.

[attackgerbil]

No cc's that I saw this weekend. They should have given one to Oakland for waking New York fans up to the fact that they have been skating on thin ice that last two weeks with a lot of timely hitting and defense to get some wins. In reality the NY team is in trouble right now and needs to make some tough decisions soon.

[yankeemonkey]

I don't know about tough decisions, but it may be time for Jeter to exhibit his captainly qualities and get that team back on track. I don't know what can be done right now in terms of personnel (outside of firing Torre...not happening), it's not the kids' fault this team is sucking at the moment.

OTOH, it's good to see Sox having trouble scoring, we're not alone!

[SF]

What are the odds that John Wasdin throws a 3 hit shutout against the Sox? Not high, right? But if you want to increase those odds, what do you do to the Sox' lineup? Exactly what Francona did. How is that good managing?

[yankeemonkey]

SF, are Sox playing tomorrow?

[SF]

No. That's the most pathetic part.

[yankeemonkey]

Hmm. Well, maybe Francona doesn't want that division lead to get too big...you know, just to make it more interesting for the fans. Considerate of him.

[sf rod]

there's no doubt in my mind with our everyday lineup we would be in this game.

[sf rod]

why take the kid out now terry?

[attackgerbil]

Yeah, sweet, YM. Now we get to wait until Tuesday to not score runs against Cleveland. Or watch Wang get shelled out of the game in the third after retiring six batters on ground-outs only to give up 5 consecutive singles and a two-run boner by the infield. Yes, I'm bitter about today.

[yankeemonkey]

I have tickets for Wednesday's game. Not sure if my time and money won't be better spent getting a root canal. Sigh.

[sf rod]

3 ground balls. that's the best i've seen tavarez work all year. of course.

[yankeemonkey]

I didn't realize Mets play Boston in interleague this year. Should be a great series...I wonder what kind of reception Pedro will get if he gets to pitch there.

[attackgerbil]

Ortiz goes the other way with a lead-off single in the sixth. Papi say, "Shift this!"

[attackgerbil]

Sox showing the signs of a rally as Lowell singles and breaks a mini-slump. First and second to Trot.

[yankeemonkey]

Remember, Mr. Showalter: short leash!

[sf rod]

still first ball swinging, but it works out. 6-1.

[attackgerbil]

Nixon with an RBI double on a misplayed ball by Matthews.

[attackgerbil]

Matthews should have caught that.

[sf rod]

will terry pinch hit with the lull in the lineup comming up?

[Terry Francona]

No...No, I won't. But thanks for asking.

[attackgerbil]

Ex-yankee prospect JT Snow hits a run home on the 4-3. Trot to third. one out to Mirabelli.

[attackgerbil]

Mirabelli is behind 0-2: Nixon at third. Mirabelli hits a comebacker off of Wasdin that gets recorded as a 1-4-3 out, rbi for Doug.

[attackgerbil]

Wasin is out of the game after getting hit on the hand.

[attackgerbil]

When I said off of Wasdin, I literally meant off of Wasdin. Mahay in. Cora coming up after the pitching change. Texas 6, Red Sox 3.

[yankeemonkey]

Gerbil, where do you work that you get to watch all the games?

[sf rod]

if the sox were to come back to win this game, it would have to feel like a teabagging to the yankees. welcome youk to the game. somebody awoke terry.

[attackgerbil]

YM: I work on software sometimes.. but today when I said I was going to work, I actually went to move furniture for a friend who just had surgery and is having his house remodeled. A friend and I had to move the heavy stuff for him and his wife.

Usually, I work early on game days when the game starts at 4pm westcoast time so I get my hours in before the game starts.

Youk scores Cora. Red Sox are down 6-4 with Crisp coming to the plate. RallySox are getting it done in the bottom of six.

[attackgerbil]

WP advances Youk.

[yankeemonkey]

Cool.

Yankees need to watch this game to learn about good situational hitting.

[attackgerbil]

When I am writing code, the advantage is I can do it anywhere. Sometimes I do it while watching multiple games at a bar. :)

[attackgerbil]

But I can't call that actually working, and it certainly isn't billable hours.. heh.

[SF]

If the Sox come back, everyone will forgive Francona. Isn't a manager's job to put the team in the best position to win, not to make them perform heroically to do so?

[yankeemonkey]

Awesome. Wish I could do that...can't take lab mice to a bar. Though maybe they'd enjoy it.

[SF]

Is Manny available today?

[attackgerbil]

Take the mice to the dugout. Maybe they can find their way out of the maze of injuries they call a roster the Yankees have right now.

[sf rod]

MF. coco swings at ball 4.

[sf rod]

i saw manny in uniform in the dugout in the first inning.

[attackgerbil]

Yes, SF, that's the crux of the management dilema. Make a move by the numbers that fails, and you are toast with the critics. Pull something bizarre that pays off with a "W", and you are a genius.

Manny played in the first game. Should be available if needed.

[attackgerbil]

Manny got his 16th in the 2nd inning in the first game

[attackgerbil]

Honeybucket wasn't available to empty the restroom behind the Monster between games. Manny is now listed day-to-day.

[sf rod]

seanez is up in the pin. terry's got more tricks up his sleeve on how to lose a game. now comming in. white flag.

[SF]

re: Manny

I was kidding.

[yankeemonkey]

I had been thinking that Rangers should be able to hang on with a 6 run lead....then I remembered they led the Yankees by 9 and lost. I see no help forthcoming from them.

[attackgerbil]

SF: sorry.. missed the joke. Read back through the thread. I see your point about leaving him out of the lineup with a day off tomorrow. Bizarre.

[attackgerbil]

SF: Now I just read your new thread. Your rage is understandable. It's a head-scratcher.

[yankeemonkey]

Ooooh an insurance run for Texas!

[SF]

Theo needs to work on the bullpen, badly. Too much leatherface, too much Seanez. Not enough JVB.

[attackgerbil]

sf rod is sooth.

[attackgerbil]

Seanez-Mirabelli = freebases-Rangers.

[SF]

No disrespect to sf rod, but predicting that Seanez isn't going to help things is like predicting that Paris Hilton is going to say something stupid.

[SF]

When Gerald La(i)rd is stealing bases on you, you know something's wrong.

[SF]

And now a guy who is hitting .187, and who basically sucks, drives in a run. Seanez is a joke.